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Taking all the right steps but STILL struggling to increase employee morale? Having a difficult time creating a fun AND productive office environment? On a tight budget and can't afford increasing salaries or spending a lot of money? It can be frustrating trying to establish a recognition program that fits your employees. At Clear Path Employer Services, we say thank you and try to show our appreciation in many ways.  We make an effort to consistently catch ourselves and other people doing things right. The ideal reward system should be enjoyable, effective, and it shouldn't hurt your wallet! So how exactly do we create a system that consistently rewards employees in a fun and interactive way? The answer is... CREATIVITY! Think outside the box to boost your employees' motivation to work. Your employees will appreciate the effort and have fun along the way! To help we have put together a list of the top five creative and unusual ways a company can recognize their employees!

Number 5: Pass the Buck

Pass the buck is a fun technique used to increase motivation and customize the employee rewards. This consists of giving some sort of token to the employee who accomplished the company's objectives. The employees will collect these tokens and cash-in for bigger prizes. Remember to be creative! Tokens may consist of play money, stickers, or even company pencils. Prizes may include a longer lunch break or choosing the next social event!

Number 4: Office Musical

Recognize an employee's effort by surprising them with a song during the work day! Be sure to keep tabs on your employees' favourite songs or even write a song of your own. Ask other co-workers to join in the celebration and compliment your singing with some dance moves!

Number 3: Make a collage

Take the time to create a collage of photos and information about the employee and their growth within the company. Remember to be creative; include personal photos, office photos, and previous accomplishments! Call a team meeting at the end of the day and present your collage to the office!

Number 2: Pass on the Praise

"Pass the Praise" works by establishing a rule that if an employee hears any positive comments about another employee (let's say... a great sale day or huge promotion), they will forward the information to two or more employees within the company. The two employees that received the information will forward the same information to another two employees each. This will cause a chain effect where that positive comment is spread across the office and the employee is recognized throughout the company!

Number 1: Sticky note their desk!

Number 1 on our list and a very creative way to recognize your employees is to cover their desk with sticky notes! Arrive at the office an hour before work starts and pile sticky notes of their desk recognizing them for their accomplishments!

Keep in mind there are many ways to appreciate your employees without spending a lot of money. Consistently showing appreciation will increase employee morale, increase productivity, and lighten up the office's atmosphere. Remember to be creative and think outside the box!

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Celebrate the achievements of your team members to boost morale and retain key employees. The happiness and well being of your employees corresponds directly with productivity, absenteeism costs, turnover and the overall culture of your workplace. Do you find that your employees become easily unmotivated or have low spirits? Sometimes the day-to-day grind can become monotonous. It is important for your company to make sure your employees are interested and appreciated for their work. To avoid losing key employees, and incurring mental health related absence costs, we would like to share 5 tips to boost employee morale in your workplace.

1.       Make the workplace comfortable

Comfort goes beyond aesthetics and ergonomic furniture. Making small adjustments to your lighting scheme or opening blinds to let in some natural light can make a huge impact on employee's energy levels.  Try to avoid having desks face walls and instead have employees facing windows if possible, or another co-worker to encourage teamwork throughout the day.  Be sure to keep the temperature at a comfortable level, and ensure that your employees have the tools they need to do their job. A bonus comfort idea would be to have a supply of coffee and tea's available for consumption, in case someone is struggling with fatigue in the mornings.  They will be grateful for the caffeine boost, and less likely to be absent or unproductive.

2.       Encourage Work Breaks

Sometimes people might think the work day will go faster, or they will get more done if they work through their breaks. On the contrary, taking breaks helps avoid burnout and work goes by quicker when you are feeling refreshed and can come back to an assignment with a fresh perspective. If the weather is nice, encourage a walk around the block, or taking a lunch outside if you have outdoor eating areas available. Breaks encourage stepping away from the computer screen and interacting with fellow employees.

3.       Recognize and reward employees for good work

It is commonly misconceived that a raise is the only way to show recognition for a "job well done". While employees most certainly appreciate raises there are other ways to ensure your employees are aware you appreciate their work on a regular basis.  If you are particularly impressed with an employee's good work, write a hand written note or verbally acknowledge in person. If you hold monthly team meetings, be sure to highlight individual accomplishments as well as team accomplishments. Not only is it important for employees to receive recognition from their superiors, but their co-workers as well.  In larger organizations an employee of the month recognition or "wall of fame" program offers incentives to other staff members to increase their productivity.

4.       Celebrate birthdays and special accomplishments

When employees know that their manager is aware that they have lives outside of work, it makes them feel like a valued member of the team rather than just an anonymous worker.  Most employees appreciate it when their managers, supervisors and co-workers remember their birthdays or acknowledge events such as having a child, weddings and accomplishments of the employee or employee's children. If you have a reason to celebrate-do it!  Bring in coffee or a treat to celebrate, have co-workers sign greeting cards to celebrate occasions or have monthly celebrations gathering employees for a company lunch(i.e. ordering in pizza, Swiss Chalet, Chinese Food, Sandwiches etc).If you are a smaller business consider stepping out of the office for a couple hours to have lunch elsewhere.

5.       Encourage Connection

Employees want to work with people that they can relate to, and feel comfortable spending the workday with.  Encourage short discussions, and ask about family, weekend plans, hobbies, interests, TV shows that you watched last night etc.  Taking the time to have a casual one-on-one to ask how someone is doing is a great way to have a brief check in with your employees.  It's less formal and shows you really care.  We also recommend conducting the Clifton's Strength Finder exercise. This activity is a great way to discover one another's strengths and learn from one another. The test is done individually but you can chart the results after to showcase each employee's top 5 strengths.  This is a positive motivator and the results help employee's understand their coworkers' behaviours and personalities.

Bonus Tip!--Have fun!

At Clear Path we believe "that what is fun gets done".  We view life as a journey to be enjoyed and appreciated.  Once in a while throw an office celebration to get everyone together outside of the workplace. Whether it is a holiday party at the end of the year, summer BBQ, celebrating a corporate milestone or potluck lunches. This gives an opportunity for employees to socialize with their coworkers outside of the office.  Employee's participating as a group and fundraising for a charity is also a great way to have fun and work together.

Looking for more information on boosting employee morale? Check out 8 things your employees need most via Inc.com.

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Office romances have the potential to complicate business operations. Risks such as workplace violence, domestic violence, harassment and sexual harassment could become an issue should the parties involve end their relationship and suffer emotional pain. Other concerns include:

• Accusations of favouritism
• Gossip can take a toll on professional image, workplace atmosphere
• Lowered morale and productivity

Any attempt to “ban” office romance is likely not going to solve problems and it not a reasonable solution to something that may be inevitable.  Your best defence is to outline some clear written policies that define the parameters of office romances in your organization, and send the message that employees should not let romantic relationships affect the professional work environment.  What should your policy include? Below are some tips when developing your policy.

• Employers should require employees to disclose to their manager when they have entered into a consensual romantic relationship, without infringing on their privacy. This allows for confirmation that the relationship is consensual, and offers the opportunity  to inform the two parties of your workplace harassment/sexual harassment policies (Bill 168), how to report complaints and most importantly expectations around conduct while in the workplace environment.
• Outline in your policy how you will manage alleged harassment or sexual harassment claims. Make employees aware of your zero tolerance policy. Refer to your policies that you would have developed in regards to Bill: 168 legislation.
• Be sure to include the steps that are taken by management should a complaint be submitted regarding the office relationship. Business owners/management are required to remain impartial and be sure that decisions made in dealing with the complaint are made on the basis of evidence presented after a proper investigation has been conducted .
• If complaint against an office relationship proves to be accurate, define penalties and disciplinary procedures appropriately. Ex. A couple is initiating in sexual liaisons and behaviour at work. It is affecting the work atmosphere and fellow employees are complaining. Outline in your policy what the consequences are for violating this clause of the office relationship policy. (ex. Discipline, transfer, demotion, suspension, termination)
• Define your policy for office relationship that involves a manager/supervisor and a subordinate. Dating a co-worker who reports to you can cause problems because other employees might accuse the manager or supervisor of playing favourites. Most organizations try to avoid these types of scenarios, and should a relationship happen, often one of the parties is transferred so there is no direct reporting.
• Lastly, be sure to address the expectations of both parties should the relationship end. When an office romance has gone bad there is risk for tension, gossip, workplace violence and potentially unwanted attention or harassment.  By addressing the expectations in your policy your employees will know and understand the consequences of their behaviour.

Avoid the legal ramifications often associated with workplace relationships by planning ahead and providing your employees with guidelines and education on the topic of office romance in your workplace before cupid’s arrow strikes. Perform a Workplace Risk Assessment and ensure your Bill: 168 Workplace Violence and Harassment policies are up to date, and well communicated to your staff. Remember to get your employees to sign off on their acknowledgement of your policy. Informing your employees that as an employer, you actively seek to identify and eliminate potential problematic situation which might result from office romance and sexual dynamics, is an excellent form of due diligence and displaying that your company is taking strong action to prevent favouritism, harassment and hostile work environments associated with office relationships.

Be sure to check out some office romance statistics in our February 2012 newsletter! 

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The festive season is upon us again and office holiday parties are in full swing. Whether you’re having a small dinner party or large celebration employers should always be taking proactive steps to ensure the health and safety of employees attending the function. Planning to include alcohol at your festive holiday celebration can become be a recipe for disaster on many levels. First and foremost health and safety wise, but also in terms of the negative impact it can have on the employment environment or relationships. Alcohol has a tendency to let people release their inhibitions which can lead to inappropriate behaviour, physical and/or sexual harassment or general misconduct that could be damaging to the employers reputation.

A survey completed by Caron Treatment Centres, a not for profit provider of drug and alcohol addiction treatments surveyed 870 people who had attended office holiday parties where alcohol was provided, and were asked how their colleagues behaved and the lasting impact of the behaviour:

• 30% saw someone flirt with a co-worker or boss while under the influence of alcohol
• 28% saw someone get into his/her car intending to drive
• 26% said a colleague or boss shared inappropriate details about themselves or another co-worker, under the influence of alcohol
• 19% stated they saw a colleague become aggressive with a co-worker or supervisor under the influence of alcohol
• 9% claimed that supervisors or co-workers engaged in sexual activity while under the influence of alcohol
• 56% agreed the negative behaviour reflected poorly on the individuals and the company, particularly when photos or sensitive information became public

Court decisions over the years have resulted in precedent setting caselaw, which have left employers taking the brunt of the liability when employees have decided to over indulge at the company holiday party. In light of these cases, many employers have decided to forego the office holiday party altogether in the face of this new risk.   If you are wondering to “party or not” here are some helpful tips to make sure you have a fun, and safe environment.

• Consider having an alcohol free event
• Choose to issue a set number of drink tickets for attendees, instead of offering an open bar
• Monitor employee drink consumption, considering hirng a third party to serve beverages. (Majority of venues staff their own bars, but it would be prudent to ask when selecting a venue)
• Close the bar an hour before your party ends
• Arrange for alternative transportation or taxi vouchers for employees to discourage drinking and driving.
• Identify designated drivers that have agreed not to drink at event
• Have a system where employees leave their car keys with an attendant upon arrival to avoid a the uncomfortable situation of having to forcibly take them away from a severely intoxicated employee

Even with all the best intentions, you may still end up with one employee who goes over the limit, take the necessary precautions to ensure that you have done your due diligence by making sure they don’t drive,.  This could range from taking away the keys, arranging a sober driver to take the individual home, calling the employee's spouse, offering to pay for a cab or in the worst case scenario, calling your local police for assistance. Should an intoxicated employee drive themselves home and injure another employee or innocent third party, unfortunately you, the employer may be held responsible.

Don’t be the “Scrooge” by cancelling your holiday party.  Take the time to plan ahead to avoid potential problems and make sure you still get to celebrate the holidays and your team's accomplishments at this year’s office holiday party.

Source material: Hicks Morley FTR Now, November 18 2011 "Alcohol and the Holiday Office Party"

As surprising as it may sound, many businesses still do not have an employee policy manual.  This is disturbing because it creates an environment where there are no set “rules of the game.” Other companies may have one, but haven’t updated it to keep up with significant changes in government legislation, technology, and cultural changes.

By not having an effective employee policy manual for management and employees to refer to, your company is susceptible to internal problems and misunderstandings.  In fact, it may even make it difficult to terminate an employee for cause, even when warranted, since there are no set “rules.”

Some areas that you may not have considered having a policy for (but definitely should) include:

Respecting the needs of all in a Multi-Faith work environment:

As Canada’s population becomes more and more diverse, there will be more and more need to address the needs of employees who may come from a non-Christian background. You should determine in advance what your policy is regarding:

• What to do about religious holidays and holy days for non-Christians
• How to handle daily observances and prayers
• How to handle cultural conflicts

Bill 168 and the AODA:

Ensuring your company is up-to-date with recent government legislation, including Workplace Violence and Harassment legislation (Bill 168) and the AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act). Both have specific requirements for management and staff. Does your team know their rights and responsibilities under these pieces of legislation?

Use of Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Linked In):

Another aspect to consider is the use of social media, inside and outside the workplace. Social media is becoming a part of daily operations in many businesses.  Defining how and when employees may use these tools during the workday is important to prevent a “free for all” environment.

It’s also important to outline for employees how their social media posts may impact the company’s interests (even when done on their own time). Ensure they understand they are not to:

• Post anything that discloses confidential information (new projects, layoffs, getting busy, etc.)
• Post disparaging statements about the company, management or fellow employees
• Post anything that might damage the company’s reputation (i.e. Domino’s pizza fiasco)

Internet Use:

Technology developments now enable employees do things from the comfort of their workplace computer or cell phone that were inconceivable to previous generations, including:

• Download copyrighted material,
• Watch TV shows or movies,
• Visit gambling sites,
• Watch pornographic material, or
• Play video games

It is critical that you establish an appropriate internet use policy to ensure employees are focused on work and to avoid potentially liability exposures resulting from complaints from other team members.

Use of Cell Phones:

Consider developing policies regarding:

• Use of cell phones, including sending/receiving texts, personal emails, talking on the phone, checking voice mail, and ensuring that distracting “beeps” and “ringers” are turned off
• Forbidding the use of cell phones while driving when performing company business, as per recent legal changes

Employee Appearance:

With tattoos and body piercing becoming more and more common, your company may consider establishing rules about personal attire for any customer-facing employees.

How Clear Path can help:

At the end of the day the goal of your employee policy manual is to provide employees with a source of information about the organization and their role in it. It is a practical and highly recommended tool for setting “the rules of the game” and the organization’s expectation for appropriate employee behaviour.

You’re invited to attend Clear Path’s informative “Setting the Rules of the Game: Creating an Effective Employee Policy Manual” learning session on November 2^nd, 2011 at the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce. Click here to learn more and to register.

Clear Path can also assist you by creating a customized policy book for your organization. This book will include everything from a vision and mission statement, policies & procedures, best practices for your organization, as well as other customizable features.  Contact us at 519 624 0800 or by email, anna@clearpathemployer.com.

What would happen to all your important “people information” if you woke up to discover your business was inaccessible due to a fire or other natural disaster?

If that terrible event were to happen, how quickly could you get your business up and running?  For all businesses this question is of critical importance. Would your employees know where to access the information they need or what they should convey to customers and vendors? What if you didn’t even have access to their phone numbers?

This situation highlights the importance of creating and maintaining some kind of on-line “knowledge database” for your business. These resources can serve a number of purposes for a company of any size, not limited to disaster recovery, including:

• Safely holding critically important personnel, customer and operational data that you can access from anywhere with an internet connection

• Being a storage depot for electronic copies of documents your employees need to access (and can collaborate on)

• Communicating information to your team, even if they are geographically dispersed (or work from home regularly)

• Holding a shared team calendar so that everyone is aware of upcoming events

• Even as a place to record “fun,” non-critical details like birthdays, anniversaries, and how each person takes their coffee  or likes on their pizza (so you don’t have to ask before each meeting)

With regard to HR practices, any private information posted onto an on-line source must be done in a secure fashion and not accessible to anyone but the designated individuals. Most services offer password protected and even encrypted service options.

There are a multitude of vendors that provide either pay-for-service or free access to on-line intranets, including Google, Cisco WebEx, HyperOffice, and many more.

Clear Path, and its partner Absolutely Business Solutions, can assist you in identifying what information should be contained in a “knowledge database” and even setting up an on-line intranet. Please contact David Guerin at (519) 624-0800 for more information or visit www.absolutelybusiness.ca.

The Ontario government passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) to a standing ovation in 2005. Its aim was to make the province fully accessible by 2025. For logistical purposes, the legislation broke out 5 "standards" to be implemented by public and private companies (all of which would require additional legislation to finalize).

The first of these 5 "standards" passed was the Customer Service Standard, passed in 2008, which gives rules for businesses to ensure that they are providing their goods and services in a way that is accessible to those with disabilities. It came into effect on January 1, 2010 for the public sector and businesses in the private and non-profit sectors must be compliant with its regulations by January 1, 2012. See our blog entitled "AODA: Good News and Bad News for Employers" for more details.

News:

In June 2011, the McGuinty government passed legislation that enacts 3 of the remaining 4 "standards," call the Integrated Accessibility Regulation.  The 3 new standards focus on transportation, information & communication, and employment regulations for people with disabilities. This regulation came into effect July 1, 2011. Exact deadlines for compliance are yet to be determined, but are expected to be 2013 or later.

The Accessibility Standard for Information and Communication is meant to ensure business owners and government agencies help people with disabilities access more sources of information. This includes websites, public libraries, textbooks, public safety information, and marketing materials.

The Accessibility Standard for Employment has the goal of helping employers acquire, support and retain skilled employees, even when they have accessibility issues. This standard is intended to make accessibility a normal part of finding, hiring and communicating with employees.

The Accessibility Standard for Transportation focuses on making transportation services accessible. This includes buses, trains, subways, streetcars, taxis and ferries. Some requirements for this standard come into effect on July 1, 2011. These requirements include equal fares for all customers, making verbal pre-boarding and on-board announcements and providing courtesy seating. Additional requirements will be phased in over time.

Work is continuing on the 5th and most controversial standard, the Built Environment Standard. This standard will require that physical buildings be made fully accessible, but is running into conflicts with those advocating for the preservation of historical buildings and other groups. This standard is not expected to become law in the immediate future.

For more information about the AODA legislation, please contact Anna at Clear Path's office at (519) 624-0800 or anna@clearpathemployer.com. We also recommend you register for one of our upcoming training sessions. To learn more, click here.

June 15^th marks the one year anniversary of Ontario's Bill 168, an amendment to the Occupational Health and Safety Act related to the prevention of Workplace Violence and Harassment. The McGuinty government passed the legislation with laudable intentions, namely that "everyone should be able to work without fear of violence or harassment, in a safe and healthy workplace."

However, Bill 168's rushed implementation and a lack of clear instruction for business owners has led to confusion for many employers about whether they are compliant or not. Ministry of Labour inspectors state that 80% of small businesses and 20% of large businesses are still not compliant with Bill 168.

This article will attempt to dispel some of the myths related to Bill 168 and help you get your business compliant:

Myth # 1: We already had a violence and harassment policy, so we must be compliant

This myth is incorrect in two important ways.

First, Bill 168 includes numerous requirements for employers that go well beyond the creation of a policy statement. In addition to creating effective policies, companies are required to:

• Perform annual Workplace Violence Risk Assessments
• Gather feedback from their employees
• Establish procedures for their staff (particularly on how to summon assistance and how to report an incident)
• Educate supervisors and workers on expanded Work Refusal rules
• Train their employees on all the elements of Bill 168

Second, Bill 168 significantly expanded the definition of both workplace violence and workplace harassment. Previously existing policy statements will likely not include these changes:

• The definition of workplace violence is no longer limited to a physical act, but now includes the threat of violence against a worker.

• Criteria for a harassment complaint was expanded beyond traditionally "protected grounds" (race, age, religion, etc.) to include "personal harassment" or bullying, which is any behaviour "that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome."

Myth # 2: We're a small company so we don't need to be compliant with Bill 168

All provincially regulated companies with at least one employee are required to be compliant with Bill 168. The only provision related to number of employees is that companies with less than 5 employees don't need to post their policies and procedures in a conspicuous place (however they do have to create them).

Myth # 3: We've never had an issue. There's no need to perform an Assessment

A recent study claimed that 79% of workers have witnessed a conflict in their workplace, either between co-workers or a customer. Most often this involved verbal abuse or harassment, but occasionally this escalated into violence. Assuming that your workplace has never had an issue may be incorrect.

Regardless, Bill 168 requires employers to complete a Workplace Violence Risk Assessment at least once per year. This assessment must include:

• Physical inspection of your workplace
• Identification of risk exposures and existing safeguards
• Document exposures for each role in your company (including sales and delivery persons)
• Review history of incidents in your company
• Research risks faced at similar businesses

Clear Path's easy to use Do-It-Yourself Package can help you perform this assessment. Click here for more details.

Myth # 4: If an employee doesn't share details of domestic abuse, you don't have to do anything about it

Bill 168 does not require employers to prevent domestic violence at an employee's home, but it does require them to take active steps to prevent domestic violence from entering the workplace (potentially impacting both the affected individual and other workers).

Employers are required to take action if they become aware or ought reasonably to be aware of the situation. This means that employers cannot turn a blind eye to someone with suspicious injuries and are required by law to take steps that may include:

• Investigating and assessing the level of risk
• Potentially preventing the accused party from entering the premises or attending a work-sanctioned event (i.e. holiday party)
• Notifying fellow employees who are likely to encounter the accused party

However, it is important to note that no more personal information shall be disclosed than is reasonably necessary to protect workers from physical injury.

Myth # 5: We did our Workplace Violence Risk Assessment last year. We're done.

Bill 168 requires employers to perform Workplace Violence Risk Assessments at least once per year and should do one if there is ever a significant change in workplace design or the nature of goods & services provided to customers.

In addition, employers must embrace the mindset that preventing workplace violence and harassment is an ongoing process that requires constant vigilance. Employees and supervisors will need refreshers and ongoing support to ensure that every reasonable step is taken to keep everyone safe from danger.

Conclusion: What is your company doing on this anniversary of Bill 168?

Join us for our "How to Perform a Workplace Violence Risk Assessment" workshop on June 15, 2011 at the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce. Attendees of this hands-on session will receive a copy of Clear Path's easy-to-use Workplace Hazards Inspection tool and will gain tips on how to perform an effective assessment.

If you have any questions or would like to book a complimentary one hour consultation with certified HR professional Anna Aceto-Guerin, don't hesitate to contact us at (519) 624-0800 or by email at anna@clearpathemployer.com.

Struggling with Employee Absenteeism?

Excessive employee absence can be challenging for a small employer to manage, navigating through various legal obligations can be daunting. These days most companies have to work harder with less, so the cost of absenteeism is particularly troublesome.  Employee absence affects productivity, team morale, and in the end can be a dangerous distraction for managers trying to focus on making their business profitable.

Reasons for Employee Absenteeism:

According to Statistics Canada, the average worker missed 10.2 days of work in 2007 (not including vacations and statutory holidays), which is up 40% since 1997. There are several factors that can cause employee absenteeism, including:

• Personal commitments such as taking care of children and/or elder parents
• Stress and increased workloads
• Frustrations with a supervisor or co-workers
• Increased sense of entitlement

The issue can be exacerbated when employees treat “sick days” as a benefit that supplements their allotted vacation time and should be used up.

Tips on correcting Employee Absenteeism issues:

An obvious deterrent would be to not pay employees for time away from the workplace (other than vacation and statutory holidays). Even for salaried employees, you can set the expectation that any time missed is to be made up within the next 30 days (and documented). This of course must be balanced with a need for employees not to bring contagious illnesses into your workspace.

An attendance tracking system is an absolute must, especially one that includes the reason for the absence. Tracking systems can be very useful in spotting absence patterns and can help identify problematic individuals as well as departments with above average absence levels (which may indicate the need for supervisor training or conflict management).

Some experts contend that “perfect attendance” awards may be a “quick fix” by rewarding desired behaviour. They can help, but they do not address the root causes of poor attendance. They can also be tricky for companies with 50 or more employees since the Employment Standards Act (ESA) states their workers are legally entitled to up to 10 “emergency days” and the company cannot be perceived as punishing anyone who utilizes them.

Issues hidden below the surface:

Employers struggling with attendance issues need to look past the “quick fix” and try to discover the root of the problem. Excessive absenteeism can highlight many things, including:

• Need to develop a company attendance policy and communicate it with workers
• Job dissatisfaction and an early indicator of someone’s intention to leave
• Need to review current workloads, work distribution, and supervisor skills (or lack thereof)
• Potential team conflicts that should be resolved
• Need for creating an “exit strategy” for problematic employees who may be a negative influence on their peers
• Changing personal commitments of employees (child care, elder care) that might benefit from flexible work arrangements (flex hours, compressed work weeks, a specific number of personal days, etc.)

By taking the time to examine each of these areas and addressing any identified issues, you have the opportunity to make real improvements in your workplace and increase your workers’ productivity. All of these tips focus on the same main principle: making your workplace a safe and positive environment, where the professional and personal needs of your employees are respected.  Doing this will lead to happier employees and a much healthier bottom line!

Next Steps:

If you would like to learn more about managing employee absenteeism, please book your complimentary one hour consultation with Anna Aceto-Guerin at (519) 624-0800 or via email at anna@clearpathemployer.com, or attend our Absenteeism learning session.

By: Karleigh Buist, Clear Path Employer Services (2011)

Maclean's magazine recently published an article by staff writer Colby Cosh on the difficult position Bill 168 puts Ontario employers in, particularly related to domestic violence in the workplace.

To read the article, follow this link: http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/12/16/a-close-eye-out/

Background on Bill 168:

Bill 168 is an amendment to Ontario's Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA) that places new obligations on employers to prevent violence and harassment in the workplace. Among other things, it states that "If an employer becomes aware, or ought reasonably to be aware, that domestic violence that would likely expose a worker to physical injury may occur in the workplace, the employer shall take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of the worker."

This broad and poorly defined requirement has caused many employers to be anxious about having to disclose sensitive personal details about their workers to fellow employees, which in turn has made some employees less likely to discuss domestic violence with their employers.

An interesting insight from Cosh's piece: The coroner's jury report on the tragic murder of nurse Lori Dupont at Windsor's Hotel-Dieu Hospital [by ex-boyfriend and staff anaesthesiologist Marc Daniel], which served as an impetus for the legislative change, requested "a review of the OHSA to examine the feasibility of including domestic violence (from someone in the workplace)." But when the legislation was presented, it was broadened to include domestic violence in the workplace from external parties.

Noteworthy quotations from the Maclean's article:

• Lawyer Andy Balaura of Pallett Valo: "It is unclear what an employer must do to properly discharge [his] duty" to be aware of threats to his staff from their own partners and families."
• Norm Keith of Gowling Lafleur Henderson: "It is difficult to understand how employers will be able to prevent domestic violence from spilling over into the workplace. At minimum, the domestic violence provisions of Bill 168 create potential liability for employers while having questionable benefits for the prevention of domestic violence."
• Cheryl Edwards of Heenan Blaikie: "We don't recommend that our clients start pre-emptively questioning all employees. But if something comes to your attention-perhaps a physical indication of an assault-then your obligation to protect is engaged."
• Ontario Chamber of Commerce president, Len Crispino: "For a large company with a human resources department, compliance with this provision might be relatively easy. But the burden of interpretation it imposes on a smaller company already facing a large universe of regulation is tremendous."

Clear Path has helped dozens of Ontario employers become compliant with Bill 168. To learn about how Clear Path can help your company, including details of our Bill 168 Do-It-Yourself Package and Trainings, please contact Anna at (519) 624-0800 or anna@clearpathemployer.com.

Our friends at ActionCoach business coaching provided us with an insightful and simple way of looking at change and how to overcome resistance:

Whether the change you want is for you, a family member, or a staff member, this formula will apply.

(D x V) + F > R

D = Dissatisfaction     V = Vision     F = First Steps     R = Resistance

The basic formula states that, until the combination of Dissatisfaction (D) and Vision (V) is large enough, along with an understanding of the First Steps (F) to take, the Resistance (R) to change will prevent anything from getting better.

If there is no dissatisfaction, people do not have sufficient motivation to change their situation. In addition, if there is no inspiring view as to how much better things could be (Vision), then again, nothing will happen.

In terms of getting employees to alter their behaviour, the leader must work on both these areas as well as assist in undestanding how to go about initiating the change (First Steps).

by Tony Roy of ActionCoach business coaching. Tony can be reached at tonyroy@actioncoach.com for further details.

Despite the fact that 60% of business executives believe they have a right to know how employees portray themselves and their organization in online social networks, only 17% have programs in place to monitor and mitigate possible reputational risks. (Source: 2009 Ethics & Workplace survey, Deloitte)

The spread of Social Media like Facebook and Twitter has offered new opportunities for employees to release confidential company information, disrespect a fellow employee's privacy, and create a hostile work environment.

Employees now have the ability to post, tag and ‘like' content on the internet that can be defamatory for an organization's employees and/or brand. These acts can occur both in and out of the workplace, and while an employer can not control what their employees do in off-hours they can manage it!

The Best Defence is a Good Offence

Organizations should be proactive and define the difference between acceptable and inappropriate online behaviour, emphasizing the connection between an employee's conduct and your company's image.

Clear and reasonable policies should be prepared and effectively communicated to all (posting online will allow employees to access them from home if they are unsure about what they are posting). The policies should contain a warning that you reserve the right to monitor their internet use during work hours or on company computers. In addition, they should state that your company will take action upon those who post negative or inappropriate material involving your company while on their own time.

What constitutes non-permissible?

Non-permissible content can range from intentional discrimination, harassment or bullying towards other employees to the unintentional release of company confidential information. Even if an employee is expressing personal opinions on non-work topics, if they use their title/position, their comments may attribute to their employer, with potentially negative consequences for the business.

Examples of possibly defamatory acts done in off-hours:

• Employees post pictures of themselves in company uniform engaging in "inappropriate" acts
• Personal blog entry from frustrated worker complaining about being passed over for a promotion, naming supervisor and company
• Facebook page which includes name of employer and has postings about long hours getting ready for a new product launch
• Sending intimate personal messages using company technology

When it comes to the law the basic rule of thumb is that an employer has NO authority over what employees do once they're off the clock....UNLESS the employer can show its legitimate business interests are affected.

Once something is posted....

No matter efforts your company takes, it may be impossible to prevent something negative from hitting the web. According to a 2009 Deloitte survey, 49% of employees say defined guidelines will not change their behaviour online. Therefore, periodic monitoring of internet content should also be conducted:

• Set up Google Alerts and use TweetDeck to conduct real-time Twitter keyword searches to monitor social media use by employees (or others).
• Sign up for web domains, such as ‘yourcompanysucks.com' to halt opportunities for future brand damage

Ultimately, you must discipline (which may include termination for cause) any employee who intentionally breaches your company's acceptable internet use policy.

Real Life Brand Defamation

In April 2009, two Domino's Pizza employees posted a series of YouTube videos depicting themselves playfully tainting food products before allegedly passing them on to customers. With close to one million views, these three minute videos prove that anyone can easily attempt to undo all that's right about a strong brand using social media.

Next Steps

If you would like to discuss creating an Acceptable Internet Use Policy or any other HR related issues, please don't hesitate to contact Anna Aceto-Guerin at (519) 624-0800 or via email at anna@clearpathemployer.com.

By Katie O'Reilly, Clear Path Employer Services (2010)

Updates:

Nov 3/10: First known Canadian case of an employee being fired for their Facebook postings.

Nov 26/10: Toronto Star article detailing the shocking amount of time spent on non-work related internet activities by government employees (including illicit and even illegal content).